Big boys' toys for Christmas

The best techy gifts for the Christmas list

Have you finished the Christmas shopping yet? Or are you still looking for that number one gift for the tech-lover in your life? Seeing as we’re in such a festive mood, we’ve decided to share our top tech list to Santa, to give you a few ideas…

Sphero R2D2

Yes, this is the droid you’re looking for. For any Star Wars fan, young or old, this miniature, app-control R2-D2 unit is sure to please. It can be driven in bipod or tripod mode, beeps and boops just as it does in the movies, and even waddles from foot to foot when excited.

Artoo can interact with other Sphero droids, like BB-8 and the First Order’s BB-9E, and can’t wait to watch the films with you, reacting to his scenes with charming noises and movement.

DJI Spark Drone

The Spark drone is an awesome place to start if you’re new to flying. It launches from the palm of your hand, can record steady 1080p video, take awesome gesture-controlled 12MP photos, and its autopilot mode means it won’t get stuck in the garden tree.

It can sense if an object’s in its way and manoeuvred around it, and it’ll automatically track you for photos and video with no controls needed. You can, of course, pilot it yourself too, with your smartphone, the control pad, or with the DJI Goggles (sold separately) for a first-person view from the sky.

GoPro HERO 6

It doesn’t seem long ago that our super-smart sister blog, Tech Talk, was all over the GoPro HERO 5, but now there’s a new kid on the block – the HERO 6. The compact action cam can record in 4K at 60fps, is waterproof to 10m, and the powerful lens is capable of high-quality 12MP photos.

The new GP1 chip inside the camera is specifically designed for improved image quality and smooth out your footage. And the onboard Wi-Fi is now quicker than ever, for speedy data transfer to your computer or smartphone.

So, if you’re gearing up for an adventure in 2018, and want to document the whole thing in glorious 4K, start with GoPro.

Microsoft Xbox One X

Xbox One X is the pinnacle of gaming from Microsoft, with 40% more power than any other console. Experience incredible 4K gaming thanks to the powerful new graphics processing unit, and the true benefits of HDR for brighter colours and deeper blacks in everything you play or watch.

Google Home

Google Home and Google Home Mini both bring the power of Google into any room you like. Simply plug them in and connect to Wi-Fi and you you're ready to go. You can ask a broad range of questions, and you don’t need to be standing right next to it. With its far-flung mics, you have just to utter “Okay Google” and it’s at your command.

You can also link it to other smart tech at home, like Chromecast. So, you could say “Play Miracle on 34th Street on Netflix” and you don’t even need to leave the sofa.